Place: Ratings & Reviews

Reviews by malloyca:

3.85/5 rDev -10.5%

Rodmans packs a lot of variety into a small space, and does a good job of rotating their center display to include European brews and the latest releases from U.S. craft brewers. Lagunitas, Great Lakes, Oskar Blues and Bells seemingly are always featured prominently, which is a plus. Unlike some other beer stores with a wider selection, it is easy to quickly assess what's available at Rodmans. Prices are very reasonable (by D.C. standards, at least). They have a decent selection of large format bottles from US and European breweries. I have shied away from some of the European bottles on the back shelf because they are sometimes dust covered, and freshness may be suspect.

Rodman's is a convenience store on Wisconsin ave. in DC. They do a good job of advertising limited releases on twitter which is nice because you don't have bombard them with phone calls. Unfortunately, customer service in the beer department can be hard to find. My biggest gripe about the place is on two recent occasions they've advertised a set purchase limit per person and changed that limit within the amount of time to drive to the store. They did it to me with Black Note AND Bourbon County last season once they were running out. They used to use the honor system and put limited beer on the shelf with a note saying, "One per person please" or something of the like, but I noticed with Backwoods bastard last week you had to find someone that works in the beer department (which took 10 minutes) and ask for it because it was hiding in the back. I think their new policy is better considering I've seen people look at the "one per person sign", peek around and see if anyone is watching, then take more than the allotted amount. I would love this place if they had better customer service but unfortunately it's almost non existent.

What once was a reference for craft beer in the region lost its grip for a while, but seemed to pick it up after a couple of slips with the new management. But a gimmicky policy with special releases, and an unprofessional exchange in social networks with some inappropriate remarks made it for me.

The price gauging seemed to be a sign of an early management attitude that was called out and corrected. There was more than one instance, but it seemed that they had recuperated a reasonable price bracket. Now, the rambling announcement on social media about receiving special releases was quite nice, and whether one got it or not, it helped to keep an eye out. Recently with one particular release, they showed it off, said it was sold out in an hour, but actually had kept a few bottles aside to set up a sophomoric marketing raffle for a chance to buy a bottle. And while I disliked the gimmick, it was the disrespectful answer I received to my critique that really did it. Quite spectacular... Maybe the new guy will do well with his crowd but the underlying attitude I've felt does not work for me. What a swing... Luckily there is more than this to the region and to my neighborhood.

A- Narrow halls, lots of groceries, beer is back in a corner.Q- Lots of good beer, enough of it refrigerated. No freshness problems in my times visiting. Lighting is a problem though as there seems to be a good bit of light hitting the beer.Ser- Neither particularly friendly nor helpful. I've been there about six times and no one has ever asked me if I need help.Sel- Lots of good stuff. Victory, Racer 5, Goose Island, Troegs, Harpoon, Great Lakes, Dogfish Head, I think Founder's and/or Bell's, other's as well. Mostly six packs, but a fair number of bombers as well.Decent prices on most of their stuff, and I would definitely go for the beer, because the experience is otherwise lacking.

This use to be my go to store. They use to have the best craft specials in town. If you looked at the monthly flier you could get deep deep discounts on craft. That hasn't been the case for a long time now. Craft is never on sale and so I am never in there.

They basically have the same selection as Total Wine and higher prices. It's easier to get to than Total Wine if you're in DC but I make the effort to go to VA on the weekends to save $$$.

The staff isn't particularly knowledgeable as far as I can tell. I've asked questions and get very minimal answers. Or they go grab the "beer guy" who also gives a minimal answer. About all they can help with is where something is.

There are stores with a better selection in the area and lower prices just across the river. Not a bad place if it's close to you but not worth seeking out either.

I expected more out of this place as I heard good reviews on this site as well as others. I by a huge margin, prefer Total Wine and Whole Foods over this place. The beer selection is quite expansive but mostly of traditional cratft beer that you can find anywhere else. Granted, this place may receive some Hopslam or KBS which is a huge plus especially for such a small shop like this one. I think they are allotted one case of the good stuff so you just have to keep calling the store checking when they'll be stocked with the good stuff. I have to do the same thing with the other local beer shops anyway. Staff mostly worked the produce/food section. Very crowded and not designed well for navigation throughout. Can't remember the prices of the beers bc I was bummed out- so I put down reasonable.

Rodman's is a discount grocery store that has a very surprising selection of beers. Lots of the stuff though is unboxed but you can luckily see everything. It is a bit chaotic in the back though wandering through the boxes.

This is however in a very pricey neighborhood so depending on what you're buying it's going to reflect that in the price. The work staff also goofs around a lot I notice as well, but they will answer questions and are quite pleasant.

One quick to note is they have cash registers in the back. So if you are stuck in the front of the store at one of the two tills, there are more in the back of the store.

Rodman's is my favorite beer store in Washington, DC. The selection is enormous, for a small space, and the beers have been creatively chosen. Imports are the forte of the store as a whole (check out their chocolates and wines while you're there), and that comes through in the beers as well.

The beer buyer, Dave, knows his stock very well, and made excellent recommendations, and (surprisingly) suggested that I put back something that had sat on the shelf a bit too long. He engaged me where I was at in my beer knowledge, explaining simcoe hops and the circumstances that make them both prized and expensive.

As with most other stores, you will be greeted by an island of industrial beer with a smattering of craft beers inserted, but do not be deterred by their understandable pitch to the general public. Keep going and you'll see some gems on the shelves and in the cooler.

Fantastic local store with an amazing beer manager and great selection. Their sales are unbeatable for DC - they frequently have sixers of Great Lakes, Founders, Lagunitas, Bells, or the like on sale for 7.99. Even at regular price, they typically are underselling every other shop in the district by at least a dollar. Craft beer is featured prominently - you have to actively seek out BMC. (I think it lives in the bottom of one cooler...maybe) Bottle selection is similarly excellet - American craft, Belgian, and actually a lot of brews from the UK available individually at excellent prices.

"Hoppy Dave," the beer guy, is one of the best customer service type people I have ever met. He posts signs all over the store explaining beer styles and listing BA reviews and rankings - very helpful to a relatively new beer drinker. He's always up for a chat too, or at least to gush about something new and fantastic he's found. They also usually have a couple of cool glasses on sale for about three bucks.

The rest of the store is also worth a look, from the cool import foods to the flea market-like basement. The cashiers are idiots, however. Or at least the language barrier seems to be impermeable.

This place fucking rocks, plain and simple. If you can only stop at one beer store in DC, this should be it. The selection is crowded, but excellent as it's tucked away in the corner. The beer guy at this store is really cool and let me break a 4 pack of Bourbon County Stout...he definitely knows his stuff. As far as the brands they carry I saw Goose Island, Troegs, Great Lakes, Rogue, Oscar Blues, 21st Amendment, Stone, Cisco, DuClaw, Founders, Schalfly and Lagunitas among others, as well as some Belgians and other Euro imports. I didn't see any Southern Tier here though which was kind of curious. The prices were very cheap, especially for the city (I scored a sixer of Troegs Hopback Amber for $7.49 which was $3 cheaper than at Whole Foods).

A hidden gem. The store is unremarkable from the outside. Inside, there is an excellent selection of both international and microbrews. The microbrews run the gamut from great nationally recognized brands to a wide selection of local beers. The prices are pretty good for the DC area, and if you get a sale beer it is that much better. Hoppy Dave is an excellent resource, as well as a great beer conversationalist. He will steer you in the directions of beer that will fit your pallet without emptying your wallet (too much). Definitely the place to stop to replenish the beer cellar in DC.

After looking for a good beer selection in the District and reading the preceding reviews, I had to check this place out. Upon entering and being greeted with a pyramid of macros, I began to worry, but a quick few steps further in enlightened me. Though the space allotted for beer is small, every inch of space is utilized to the fullest. Although the selection itself may not be the largest I've seen, it is overwhelmingly of sterling quality, including things I could not find before around the NOVA area. In terms of service, the only term I can use is "top-notch". I was politely asked if I were looking for anything in particular; after a bit more browsing, I asked for certain brands, was directed thereto, and was then introduced to some beers I've not thought of trying before. He even went so far as to show me a recent news article concerning a certain brew. To top things off, the prices were more than fair, and they apparently always have some good sales going on. I will definitely be making this place one of my usual haunts from now on.